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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

(1/3) Fee webinar on our latest research, hosted by NATGA: Why do some truffle trees produce whilst others do not? This presentation explores new research conducted across North American orchards that seeks to answer this question. Using a unique paired study design we disentangle the soil...

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

If you're interested in truffle cultivation and based in the UK, this event we are running with Daylesford Organic would be a great introduction - book now for November: tinyurl.com/yc4c7fx7

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

(1/3) 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 truffles, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬 don’t? Our new paper, gives some answers… Studying 93 trees (USA), controlling for confounders (a big difference) we found: • chemically and biologically distinct soils—even when growing side by side. • Productive soils -

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

2/3 🍄‍🟫 The white threads you can see are rhizomorphs - root-like structures of dense mycelium, transporting resources. The tree and fungus support each other. 🔬 We produced these trees in the lab and nursery and they are now ready for planting in the field. The trees will produce a beautiful edible

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

1/3 Taken yesterday, I had to share these beautiful images 🌳 The roots of scots pine with mycorrhizae of the saffron milk cap (Lactarius deliciosus). The swollen orange root-tips are actually the fungus forming a sheath around the root - a symbiotic structure for the exchange of resources.

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

(2/2)...mycorrhizae quantified with microscopy/PCR. It’s taken a long time to reach this point and theres much more to come - if you’d like to know more or plant a trial, just get in touch! www.PlantationSystems.com

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

(1/2)... another new mycoforestry trial site - 9 fungi and 2 tree host species. Emerging data will shape our approach to building the fungi food-forests of the future 🍄🌲 Planted by myself and University of Stirling PhD student Ruairi Hafferty - tiny 1-yr old saplings with...

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

(3/5) the surface. The fruiting levels in this particular area were huge and we had to restrain ourselves from digging-up more than we needed for a little taste test Media showa our collection of canary-island truffles, but there is one extra photo from visiting desert truffle cultivation pioneer

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

(2/5) bloom at this time of year - as the truffles are forming. The truffle in the video is most likely the newly described Terfezia canariensis. Taking my kids to the desert, we found the truffles by looking for cracks in the ground which are caused by fruiting bodies growing/swelling beneath

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

(1/5) 🏜️ Desert truffle hunting in February We often see truffles associated with large host plants, but desert truffles are different - associating with small desert shrubs. It’s this difference which has always captivated me. The host plant genus, Helianthemum, are stunning plants that

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Last week at the Napa Truffle Festival...a huge joy when orchard owners you've guided produce their first truffles and even better when I'm lucky enough to be there on the day! Congrats to Mark, Maria, Steve and truffle dog Mila! 👏👏

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

The first paper from our practical mycoforestry research project is out! ...focussing on the food-forestry land-use conflict, we describe the production of young trees with mycorrhizae of the excellent edible species Imleria badia (the bay boletus). Link: fs.revistas.csic.es/index.php/fs...

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

This week: Still finding truffles in my hedge at home (Scotland). 25% of the trees now producing at year 5 (trees from Mycorrhizal Systems Ltd). Working with Ruairi Hafferty Hay, for his first PhD fieldwork... monitoring of our newly out-planted mycoforestry trees!

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Field work with Carmen Carmona, Flora Rendell-Bhatti and Neve Dee - first mycoforestry trial site in Scotland! The first job - soil sampling for physiochemical/biological/DNA recording before planting the trees we've grown at Mycorrhizal Systems Ltd - with grateful support from Mossy Earth

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Spotlight on our most recent intern, Eva Fruzsina Felegyhazi (shown here with Dr. Zahid) from Eötvös Loránd University and with grateful support from @rootbenefit.bsky.social– Eva has been learning about DNA sequencing for a collaborative project. As we say in Scotland, Haste Ye Back!

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

...a busy and start to September Peter McKenna of The Gannet visited to see our reserach programme, taste regional truffles and prepared a spectacular on-board meal! We also hosted a valued fench colleague and friend Dr. Luis-Bernardo Vázquez from Mexico, to deepen mycoforestry collaboration🍄

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Prof. P W Thomas @profpwthomas.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

This summer, we welcomed Aswathi Gopa Kumar Nair, PhD student from Jena, Germany, to Mycorrhizal Systems Ltd. Her research on Tuber aestivum ecology and fungal interactions brings fresh insight for truffle growers. Results coming soon in open-access—stay tuned!

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